Jan. 24, 2018, 10:05 a.m.

The California Growers Assn. requested a temporary restraining order Tuesday in Sacramento Superior Court, just weeks after the state began issuing licenses to grow, distribute and sell marijuana for medical and recreational uses.

A group of small marijuana farms in California has filed a lawsuit challenging new state rules that allow growers to obtain multiple licenses to put together cultivation operations of more than one acre.

The California Growers Assn. requested a temporary restraining order Tuesday in Sacramento Superior Court, just weeks after the state began issuing licenses to grow, distribute and sell marijuana for medical and recreational uses.

The lawsuit says the rules adopted by the California Department of Food and Agriculture are in conflict with the voter-approved Proposition 64, which it said “ensures the nonmedical marijuana industry in California will be built around small and medium sized businesses.”

Feb. 21, 2018, 4:14 p.m.

Formal discipline against state Sen. Tony Mendoza could come on Thursday, after lawmakers privately discussed the findings of a sexual misconduct investigation and Mendoza lobbied colleagues with a last-minute letter defending his actions.

The investigation this week found that Mendoza “more likely than not” behaved in a flirtatious or sexually suggestive manner toward staffers.

Members of the Senate Democratic caucus met Wednesday behind closed doors for about three hours to hear the full report on the independent investigation and discuss recommendations from the Rules Committee on what disciplinary steps the chamber could take. State Senate leader Kevin de León and Sen. Toni Atkins (D-San Diego), the incoming Senate leader, declined to comment after the meeting.

Abortion rights organization NARAL is endorsing Democrat Katie Hill’s bid to represent the Antelope Valley’s 25th Congressional District, citing her willingness to discuss her own experience with an unplanned pregnancy as a teenager.

“She will not just be [a] Congresswoman women and families can rely on, she will be a passionate and dedicated champion for our rights,” the organization said in a statement.

Hill has openly talked about what it was like to weigh getting an abortion at the age of 18. Hill spoke about the experience, which ended in a miscarriage, in a video posted to her campaign's Facebook page in October after the House approved a bill that bans abortions after 20 weeks.

The mayors of California’s 11 largest cities are pushing for $1.5 billion in state money to address homelessness.

“Homelessness is the single biggest quality of life challenge we face in our cities,” said Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg, who is leading the group of big-city mayors. “Cities cannot do it alone.”

The pitch comes in new state legislation, Assembly Bill 3171, which would require local governments to match the state dollars, resulting in $3 billion to fund homeless shelters, rental assistance, permanent housing and other efforts.

Feb. 21, 2018, 10:35 a.m.

.@flipthe49th is an umbrella organization of activist groups hoping to flip @DarrellIssa's seat. This new poll paid for and released by them shows why they're so worried about CA's top-two primary shutting them out of a crucial midterm race in November. pic.twitter.com/vFHj1JPT3J

They called 750 voters in the 49th District, asking them their first and second choices for Congress. They even modeled what each candidate's vote share would look like if one or more of their fellow Dems drops out. pic.twitter.com/pPs5gHpwhG

(The group recently held a conference call to talk through these concerns and hoped the poll would encourage some candidates to think hard about their chances. DCCC has done similar poll but has not released results publicly.) They're also holding a "viability forum" next week.

Feb. 21, 2018, 6:00 a.m.

A political nonprofit working to elect scientists to Congress announced Wednesday it has reserved just over $1 million in broadcast television air time in the Los Angeles in the two weeks leading up to June’s primary.

314 Action, a 501(c)(4) social welfare group, has endorsed a trio of Democratic House candidates who are running in three different crowded and competitive Orange County races to win seats currently held by Republicans.

The group is planning on spending between $5 million and $7 million to support its endorsed candidates during the midterm election, said executive director Joshua Morrow.

Five Democrats looking to replace retiring Republican Rep. Darrell Issa squared off at a debate in San Juan Capistrano on Tuesday night, struggling to differentiate themselves in a crowded and open race.

At least nine candidates are running in the primary and for most of the evening the five Democrats agreed on the issues, from opposing new toll lanes in the district to embracing the need for more gun control.

One touchy topic caused a rift: Would the candidates vote for Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi to become Speaker if Democrats win control of the House?

Abortion-rights group Emily’s List has thrown its weight behind two more Democrats challenging GOP incumbents in California.

The group announced Wednesday that it’s endorsing Rachel Payne’s candidacy against Rep. Dana Rohrabacher in Orange County, and Virginia Madueño in the race to unseat Rep. Jeff Denham in the Central Valley.

In a statement announcing the endorsements, President Stephanie Schriock highlighted Madueño’s background as a small town mayor and business owner, and Payne’s leadership in the tech industry.

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Feb. 20, 2018, 10:04 p.m.

.@MrTonyMendoza re-ups his criticism of Senate handling of the investigation into his conduct. Calls it a "'building the plane as we fly it' approach which is both troubling and disconcerting" pic.twitter.com/xnkd8QttLc

The four-page summary report released late Tuesday afternoon described the findings by two outside law firms tasked with investigating allegations that Mendoza had made unwanted advances to female aides while he served as an Assembly member from 2006 to 2012 and as a senator from 2014 to the present.

Investigators spoke to 47 witnesses, including Mendoza, who was interviewed twice, according to the report.